Pre-Placement Health Screening

Pre-Placement Process

Upon accepting a conditional offer of employment with Sentara Healthcare, the applicant must schedule an appointment for a pre-placement assessment. This assessment can be performed at any of the Sentara Occupational Health clinics, and it will include a toxicology/drug screen as well as any other medical surveillance testing needed for the employee’s work environment. (For example, respirator fit-testing, vision screening, or necessary bloodwork will be included in this assessment.)

The pre-placement assessment must be completed, with all results available to the Occupational Health department, by the Thursday prior to the employee’s intended date of hire. If results are not available to the Occupational Health department by that Thursday, the employee’s Orientation Day 1 will be adjusted to a later date. Therefore, we recommend scheduling the assessment for a date that is 1 – 3 weeks prior to the your planned start date.

Scheduling is done online. You can click the link below and you will be able to choose the site you want to visit. Make sure you choose the “I am a New Hire” appointment type. This is the only category that will allow enough time to complete your visit, any other choice will require your visit to be rescheduled. It is also important that you schedule only one visit, as duplicate appointments will result in cancellations. If online access is unavailable, please contact any of the Occupational Health Services sites for assistance with scheduling.

For the Pre-Placement assessment, please bring with you:

Identification proving your eligibility to work in the US; please refer to the I-9 requirements provided to you by your Recruiter’s office.

License/certification for your job (if applicable)

CPR certification card (if applicable)

Education verification as requested

An unexpired, valid government-issued photo ID. For most people this would be a driver’s license, military ID card, or passport.

Note: If the name on your identification does not match the name on your application and social security card, please contact your recruiter to determine the best way to proceed. If the identification you present is damaged and/or expired you will be unable to complete the pre-hire assessments.

Immunization and/or immune titer records, specifically including the following (this information may be obtained from your physician, school, or previous health care employer):

MMR (Measles, Mumps, Rubella)

Hepatitis B vaccination series

Meningococcal (department specific)

Varicella (Chickenpox) vaccination or titer

Tdap vaccine (Tetanus, diphtheria, adult pertussis)

Influenza Vaccine for current influenza season

Copies of any TB test you have had within the past 12 months

If you have previously tested positive for Tuberculosis (TB), bring all of the following:

documentation of the positive test

documentation of your follow up evaluation and treatment

a chest x-ray taken within the previous 6 months

All medications that you are taking (prescription and non-prescription)

Eyeglasses or contacts, if applicable

If you are not 18 years of age, a responsible parent or legal guardian that can sign a consent for you

To ensure their safety, please DO NOT bring small children to your appointment

During your health screen:

Once you have arrived for your appointment, please DO NOT leave the testing area until dismissed by the Occupational Health Nurse.

An Occupational Health Nurse will review your medical history with you.

The Occupational Health Nurse will perform an assessment to determine your ability to do your new job.

You will undergo a standardized drug test/toxicology. Please DO NOT call the lab or occupational health about the drug screen results.

You will receive information about any vaccines that may be required.

Your blood will be drawn to determine if you have had a previous tuberculosis exposure, and other testing if needed.

You will be informed of any additional testing that needs to occur based on your individual history and your specific work environment

Influenza Prevention Policy

Sentara has adopted an influenza prevention policy that requires all employees, physicians, volunteers, students and vendors to be immunized against the flu or to wear a mask while at any Sentara facility if they are unable or unwilling to receive the flu vaccine.

This policy is based on evidence showing that healthcare workers can unintentionally expose patients to seasonal influenza if the workers have not been immunized. Evidence also indicates that such exposure can be dangerous to vulnerable patients.

Healthcare organizations have an obligation to prevent the spread of infection to patients in their care. In addition, health care consumers also have the right to assume that health care personnel and the organizations that employ them will take all reasonable measures to reduce and avoid transmission of preventable diseases. This is a best practice in preventing the spread of influenza and an initiative many health systems have adopted. It is another step forward in our safety journey and our efforts to get results that count, and it is in alignment with Sentara’s core value of Always Keep You Safe.